As the academic year begins at AU, discussion around enrollment is common around campus. “In a post covid world,” said, Keith Ramsdell, Vice President for Enrollment Management and Marketing, “higher education has really struggled to figure out what enrollment at colleges and universities will look like in the future.”  

This is due to many students delaying their start to college, staying at home, or seeking different routes post-high school.  

“We’re all fighting,” said Ramsdell, “And, when I say, ‘We’, all the colleges and universities, and Ohio has a lot of them, we’re all fighting for market share, and we’re all trying to increase enrollment in a very challenging environment.”  

Ramsdell explained how there is a plan in place to work through this issue.  

 Two years ago, AU’s first-ever strategic enrollment plan was put into creation, including bringing financial aid into the enrollment management. “We have a really strong team with a really good plan,” said Ramsdell. 

 On the numbers within enrollment information, the undergraduate class is up almost 20% as of this week compared to one year ago.  

For more concrete numbers, enrollment information is more solidified three weeks into the semester have passed.  

As for the graduate side, Ramsdell said, “Certain industries like education, nursing, and somewhat in business are still struggling in a post covid environment. . . We’re going to be flat in transfer students in the undergraduate level, and we anticipate that international will probably be flat.” 

As for the other areas of enrolled students on campus, Ramsdell’s data showed that community colleges have been returning to their own campuses this past year as opposed to them being remote, which contributes to the flat status for transfer students.  

Along with that, Ashbrook students and Honors students’ enrollment numbers are up this year.  

“They are both probably going to hit significant record highs, so we’re really pleased with that as well,” stated Ramsdell, “They’ve been great partners in the last year/year and a half, the admissions office, and the directors of those areas have worked very well with us, and we’re just excited to be collaborating more with those programs.”